


Promises

by kuhleesi



Series: Hiraya One Shots [11]
Category: Karanduun (Roleplaying Game)
Genre: Comfort, F/M, Grief, brainrot so deep i wrote this all in one hour non-stop, dealing with death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-23
Updated: 2020-11-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 07:02:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27679141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kuhleesi/pseuds/kuhleesi
Summary: Martinez made a promise, and he intends to keep it.
Relationships: Martinday, Martinez/Inday
Series: Hiraya One Shots [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1900120
Kudos: 4





	Promises

During Martinez’s final moments, the last words he heard from Duran was “Tumakbo ka na, Martinez.”

But Martinez was never good at following orders.

And he loved Duran, truly.

So there was no regret, no hesitation, when Martinez plunged into the thick of the fight, when he fought and he struggled and finally died. There was only the briefest moment of pain, but it did not come from his body being cut in half.

It came from the look in Duran’s eyes, wide, already glowing as he absorbed the power of the Throne. Martinez was emanating at that time, his Gahum thrumming through his skin and the air, and there was power that was overwhelming that came from Duran.

If Martinez ever regretted one thing, it was that he had to let Duran watch him die. That was the only way that Duran would be able to get enough Gahum to survive.

When he was given a second chance at life, Martinez did not plan to waste it. Now, he would be able to protect Duran. Now, he would be able to show Duran that he was not alone, that he did not have to bear the guilt of their team’s death any more.

Could he call what he was feeling déjà vu, then? During the moments when he was flying as fast as he could towards the ball of fire that was Duran. Once again, in the middle of a battle. Once again, too far for Martinez to reach. It felt familiar to Duran.

Yet, to Martinez, it felt like finality.

“Kunin mo sila at tumakbo ka, Martinez.” Duran had told him, when he was fragile and broken.

“Tang ina naman, kuya, hanggang ngayon, iyan pa rin? I can fight with you.” Martinez had argued.

“Martinez.” Duran sounded so tired, then, “If you die a second time… If any of them die… I won’t be able to bear it. Let me choose my death, as you have chosen yours.”

Martinez tried to argue, tried to open his mouth to protest, to talk some sense into him. Instead what came out was a petulent question,

“What if I won’t let you?”

“They need you. You have to let me go.” Duran pulled him close, then.

“I’ve spent all these years carrying your death in my heart. Ang hiling ko lang ay huwag mong sundin ang landas na iyon. Live, Martinez. Live and fight. Protect them, help them. Mangako ka sakin."

And Martinez clung to him, knowing it would be their last moments together. And he cried, and he may have asked Duran not to do it for the last time but there was no changing his mind now.

"Pangako, kuya."

During the final moments of that battle, with Tala screaming, with Inday frozen, with Has barely holding on to his composure, their eyes locked again.

It was at that moment that Martinez knew, this is _not_ what Duran felt during his own last moments. This was something worse. Because Martinez was ready to die at that time, he was reckless with his life, threw it away with abandon. But now, Martinez could see…

Duran wanted to live.

He wanted to keep fighting.

He wanted to be there for them.

To protect them, to protect _him_.

And that was something that was so selfless. To die for others, to truly die for others by setting your own fears and survival instincts aside so they can live. Duran had always carried the world on his back but not anymore.

Martinez had thrown his life away before. He was ready to throw it away again at that moment, to break his promise so he can save Duran. But this time… 

“Sumunod na lang kayo sakin!” He growled, taking Inday’s arm, his wings at the ready. Tala was still screaming, and it was as if he could hear himself through her, hear the anguish that he was feeling through every sob, every defiant “No” as they flew out of the collapsing cave and into the safety of the graveyard.

He wanted to break down then and there, and he was ready to, until he felt the sharp pain of knuckles on his chest.

“Bakit mo kami pinigilan?!” Inday shouted.

There was a mixture of anger and grief, fighting to surface from Martinez. They had known him for… how long? A few months? Martinez had known Duran for half his life. Did they think he did not want to save Duran? That it took everything in him to run away?

“Ngayon ko na nga lang susundin ang sinabi ni Kuya, kukunin mo pa iyon sakin?!” Martinez had shouted back.

Anger. 

It bubbled up from the depths of his soul. Boiling anger. He wanted to hurt something, to get hurt, to feel anything that wasn’t just pain and heartbreak.

Instead Inday’s hand unclenched, and she looked down, and he could see her shoulders droop, see that she was trying to stay strong.

“Patawad.” She whispered.

Grief.

That was what spilled out from him, as his own eyes began to tear up and he tried to fight back the urge to cry.

Inday was still looking down. Martinez didn’t know if she would be okay with him coming near her. Maybe she would want space…

He patted her shoulders.

“Gawin mo naman ng tama!” Inday’s voice was thick with tears, and he held her close, and finally felt safe enough to release the bitter sob that came out of him.

In that moment, it was just the two of them. And he could not even feel the bite of the cold wind, because there she was in his arms, warm and small. He wrapped her with as much comfort and care as his body could give, and Martinez focused on her heartbeat, her breathing to steady his own.

It didn’t matter anymore who knew Duran longer. What mattered was they both cared for him, and they both lost him, and they were both so tired of pretending they were strong.

Has had to convince them to go back inside the Kampanaryo to ask for help in retrieving the bodies.

But it was him and Inday that stayed by that caved in hole, waiting for any sign of Asterio and Rosaria and… 

No. 

They both knew.

Duran was gone. There was no bringing him back. They had seen his body get torn apart by the sheer power of the Throne. 

“Malaya ka na.” Inday said as they sat by that mound of dirt while they waited for back up, for the people that would dig the bodies up.

Martinez turned to Inday. They were both sitting, Inday with her legs crossed, Martinez with one leg propped up.

“Ha?” Was his only reply.

“Makakaalis ka na. Nothing’s holding you to the Kampanaryo anymore. You can live your life freely.” She said, and she looked him in the eye as she said, dead serious.

As if he would ever leave the Kampanaryo behind, leave _her_ behind.

“You can’t get rid of me that easily, ganda.” He said, booping her nose. She scrunched up her face but otherwise remained unmoving. The smile on his lips left quickly.

“Nangako ako kay Kuya na aalagan at tutulungan ko kayo. Wala akong balak na biguin siya.”

“Bahala ka, basta ako aalis na.” Inday said in a voice that was so monotone, Martinez could tell right away that it was a façade.

He straightened up and faced her, tried to look her in the eyes. When he did, all he could see was pain and worry.

She may act cold, but he could tell she was falling apart just as much as he was.

“Bakit?” He asked her.

“Bakit hindi? Bakit hindi ko pwedeng iwan ang sakit na nararamdaman ko dito? Bakit hindi ako pwedeng mag-simula muli? Iyon naman na ang nakasanayan ko. This isn’t any different from me moving from one barangay to another.”

“May mga tao pa na nag-mamahal sa’yo dito. Iiwan mo lang ba sila?” Martinez asked, thinking about her friends that she would be leaving behind if she was serious about this decision.

“Mahal ko din naman sila, pero…” The words faded on Inday’s lips as tears overwhelmed her once again. This time, Martinez did not hesitate. He scooted closer to her and held her, his hands supporting her shaking shoulders, his chest muffling her sobs.

“Pero ang sakit sakit, Martinez.” Inday whispered, “Hindi ko alam kung kakayanin ko ‘to.”

That was when Martinez realized… Inday was like him. Not in how they presented themselves to the world but in how they handled their grief. In how they were when they were most vulnerable. The world would see that they were so different. Him, cocky and sarcastic; her, cold and stoic. But at the end of the day, in the secret, quiet moments when it was just the two of them, they could admit that they were both tiring themselves out from appearing strong, for acting like they didn’t care, like they could just detach from everyone else quickly, when they couldn’t and they cared so deeply.

“Sssh. Andito na ako. You don’t have to keep it all inside.” Martinez whispered back, running a gentle hand up and down her back, tucking strands of her hair that ad come loose from her ponytail behind her ear. He felt like he finally understood her in that moment, and she understood him.

And he made another promise, then and there. One he intended to keep, one that was meant only for her—for Inday. For the one person in this world that would understand him.

“Hindi ko kayo iiwan.” He hesitated, but he knew he had to say it. “Pero lalo na ikaw. You don’t have to face everything alone, anymore.”

**Author's Note:**

> ahu :c


End file.
